Salary Cap: Cap Space For Sale

[Ouroboros]

A big thing is that even if we sign White to a mid or long term deal, years 1 and 2 are likely to be really low compared to the rest of the contract. It would be out of character for White to get a flat salary throughout the entire contract.

It'll definitely be backloaded. Anything to save a few hundred k!

We're going to be 10M below the floor in actual salary. Pretty impressive stuff.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Take this cap space for sale sign DOWN, I don't trust Dorion.

 

[Sen sational]

If Carolina matches on Aho, they will be at $67 million in cap on 15 players. Taking on Marleau and Reimer looks even worse now.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

If Carolina matches on Aho, they will be at $67 million in cap on 15 players. Taking on Marleau and Reimer looks even worse now.

Cap-wise, it would have been like that whether there was an offer sheet or not. He’s more important than anything else on their roster anyways.

 

[DJB]

Cap space is only for sale if its insured and we dont pay real dollors.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Not to defend management, but there hasn't been a lot of cap space selling this offseason. Really it's just been that Marleau trade.

 

[West Coast Eagles]

Change title to draft picks for sale?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Change title to draft picks for sale?

Current and future roster for sale.

 

[Upgrayedd]

The Senators are like one of those dingy out dated"going out of business" stores that is somehow still open 5 years later.

 

[Sen sational]

Assuming this is correct, there are still some opportunities to take on cap dumps for picks. Arizona, TB, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Vegas, San Jose, Boston are all very close to, or above the cap, and are still looking to get better or just fill out the roster.

For those looking to add a quality piece they will have to make the decision before their options are gone.

Teams with LTIR contracts will probably wait until training camp to see if they have internal options to stay under the cap before ridding themselves of LTIR.

 

[Larionov]

There are a ton of UFAs still out there, and cap space has dried up quickly. This is the trend - the top end guys get their jack like they always do, but if the music stops and you don't have a chair you are in deep trouble as a player. Dzingel, for instance, is losing leverage by the day. At one point, he was likely looking for 5 x 5 - not a chance now.

My guess is that Dorion sits tight and hopes that we are the only trading partner left for Vegas when they need to deal Clarkson's contract. We would then shake them down for a pick or prospect. That's the only remaining move I could see us making.

 

[Slippy]

This thread just always makes me think of this:

 

[Sen sational]

Will Ottawa be able to take advantage of their surplus of cap space or will it be a lost asset?

In fairness, we have not seen any real cap dumps this summer, other than Marleau. Although I would have been interested in being in on that deal, Carolina was essentially paying $3.5 million cash and giving up $6.25 million in cap for a high 20s pick and I don't think Ottawa would have ever paid cash for a pick. I was disappointed that Ottawa didn't take the Toronto 1st in lieu of having the bonus paid for Zaitsev and Brown, then again it might not have been on the table for a big package deal ie. instead of giving Toronto a 3rd as part of the deal Ottawa would have received a Toronto 4th.

There have been some "unequal trades" whereby teams maneuvered some higher end players with higher cap hits for, IMO, a less than fair value pick or replacement player with lower cap to give them space. I expect that we won't see any real cap dumps until the majority of the RFAs are signed and more likely until teams get to see what they have as replacements for roster players in ELCs. There will likely also be a second opportunity to use our cap space at the TDL being brought in as a 3rd party to retain cap so that playoff teams can get that last piece before their run.

Ottawa will be one of the few teams that will have the cap space to take on any of these cap trades. The real question is whether Melnyk will authorize Dorion to spend cash for players who won't play or contribute in a meaningful way to the re-build. It appears that obtaining Hossa and Clarkson would cost $200,000 per year each, uninsured portion, and I would hope that Dorion could convince Melnyk to increase the budget if we were getting decent picks back.

Ottawa has hit the floor and with White still to be signed we will be over the floor, perhaps not comfortably if we plan to sell off Anisimov, Pageau, Tierney, or DeMelo at the TDL. If no trades are planned and we don't get any LTIR dumps then there will be little incentive for Melnyk to pay any additional cash for players.

On the assumption that Dorion will not get any additional cash to pay for dumps without losing an equal cash amount from the current payroll, are there any realistic trades we can make that would be cash flow positive for Ottawa? Assuming none of the players we just brought in would be on the chopping block, the only 2 players that look to be moveable at this time would be Condon ($3 million cash, buried $1.4) and Boedker ($3 million cash, $4 million cap). Given that cap reduction is so important for other teams the only deal or player that could be moved with a lower cap hit, buried, is Condon and the $3 million Ottawa would gain in cash likely wouldn't fund very much of a dump from the other team.

If Ottawa retained 50% of Boedker and both Condon and Boedker were sent to the minors by the acquiring team it could make sense for a Backes type deal, if he waived, as they would save cap this year (not sure how much for Boedker) and next year they would save $6 million in cap. Losing Condon and 50% Boedker would save Ottawa $4.5 million in cash and cost $5 million over 2 years for Backes, not cash neutral but tweaking the percentage of retained Boedker could make it that way. Unfortunately, this year is probably the last go for it year for Boston given the age of some of their group so there may not be enough cap relief for Boston to justify giving Ottawa a 1st.

 

[Sen sational]

I still think that there could be some cap moves once teams see what they have with ELC's at training camp. There are still a lot of teams with a high end RFA or two that need to be signed such as: Winnipeg, Connor & Laine; Philadelphia Provorov, Konecny; Boston McAvoy, Carlo, Karlsson; Calgary Tkachuk, Mangiapane. There are also names like Boeser, Point, and Lemieux which will have to be signed to teams with tight or non-existent cap space. Something will have to give.

Will Ottawa participate in any, before the season starts, deals:
1 Ottawa has 1 contract available (49 of 50);
2 Ottawa signed a number of vets to help mold the rookies and take pressure off them so it is unlikely, at this stage, that Dorion would want to bring in a bad contract just to get another asset ie. Backes, Ericsson;
3 any deal will essentially have to be cash neutral for Ottawa so we will be limited in the deals we can take;
4 any 3rd party deals, retaining on a player going to another team, will be difficult to participate in as they will not be cash neutral;
5 LTIRs were not as valuable as historically had been the case with Clarkson and Callahan going for less than expected. Going forward there maybe a few more LTIRs with Hossa and likely Hanzal being available.

Unfortunately, I don't think Ottawa will be participating in any of these deals unless they are close to cash neutral and likely a large overpayment.

Any chance at picking up other assets will have to come from TDL deals.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I still think that there could be some cap moves once teams see what they have with ELC's at training camp. There are still a lot of teams with a high end RFA or two that need to be signed such as: Winnipeg, Connor & Laine; Philadelphia Provorov, Konecny; Boston McAvoy, Carlo, Karlsson; Calgary Tkachuk, Mangiapane. There are also names like Boeser, Point, and Lemieux which will have to be signed to teams with tight or non-existent cap space. Something will have to give.

Will Ottawa participate in any, before the season starts, deals:
1 Ottawa has 1 contract available (49 of 50);
2 Ottawa signed a number of vets to help mold the rookies and take pressure off them so it is unlikely, at this stage, that Dorion would want to bring in a bad contract just to get another asset ie. Backes, Ericsson;
3 any deal will essentially have to be cash neutral for Ottawa so we will be limited in the deals we can take;
4 any 3rd party deals, retaining on a player going to another team, will be difficult to participate in as they will not be cash neutral;
5 LTIRs were not as valuable as historically had been the case with Clarkson and Callahan going for less than expected. Going forward there maybe a few more LTIRs with Hossa and likely Hanzal being available.

Unfortunately, I don't think Ottawa will be participating in any of these deals unless they are close to cash neutral and likely a large overpayment.

Any chance at picking up other assets will have to come from TDL deals.

IMO there is a better chance that they bring in another cheap vet UFA Dman because they won't push Boro to 7th for a young guy/rookie.
I wouldn't mind if they could get Methot cheap on a 1 year and have him platoon with Boro and Hainsey .. if they won't give Wolanin a spot.

 

[Sweatred]

IMO there is a better chance that they bring in another cheap vet UFA Dman because they won't push Boro to 7th for a young guy/rookie.
I wouldn't mind if they could get Methot cheap on a 1 year and have him platoon with Boro and Hainsey .. if they won't give Wolanin a spot.

That wouldn't give any room for PD to trade any of the UFA's for anything but contract for contract or pick. I guess its not the end of the world but might limit his ability to extract any value from Pager, CT, Demelo,, Boro or who ever we wan to move.

 

[Sen sational]

IMO there is a better chance that they bring in another cheap vet UFA Dman because they won't push Boro to 7th for a young guy/rookie.
I wouldn't mind if they could get Methot cheap on a 1 year and have him platoon with Boro and Hainsey .. if they won't give Wolanin a spot.

Interesting perspective, if they do it would force Wolanin and Brannstrom to stay in Belleville. I wouldn't mind Ottawa keeping more rookies down in Belleville until the TDL when they move out some more vets.